Homecoming
by the eyesore
Summary: Here's my side of the after story with Pete back in his own flesh. R&R. :TazuPete:
1. Without him

**Reconciliation**

**I**

One hundred twenty four days have passed since his departure.

It would seem pointless to count—I know—but there was this feeling, something that lingered naturally, how the nostalgia would work me to peace… And so it never occurred to me of how troublesome counting the days could actually be.

It's just that…

_I miss him. _

Yep. That's definitely it.

There was just this feeling of a lingering emptiness, an awkward silence in my head that seemed so unwelcoming, even if this was pretty normal for most people.

"Ms. Sakurano." Crap.

"_Ms. Sakurano_."

"Yes?" I answered immediately; sparing the Sister a glance and a small smile that managed to appear a bit genuine. And then we stared at each other, I noticed the slight crease on her brows as she looked at me, disapprovingly.

"Ms. Sakurano," she called for the third time, I slightly narrow my eyes at this. "Would you like to share your thoughts with the class?"

Oh, so she noticed? Well that's surprising since she never really cared.

But seriously, has anyone ever loved history class? Do exclude the buffs.

And how could anyone survive a droning tone during lecture?

"I'd gladly enlighten you with the details, but I _really_ don't want to waste my voice on a class half-asleep." I suddenly hear gasps while a few brave snickered.

Then, there on the Sister's face was a newly formed scowl. And she was fuming red, literally.

Was it _that_ bad?

Her breathing became slightly ragged as she inhaled then exhaled, trying to calm herself which she successfully achieved in a few minutes.

All the while, the whole class was silent and I was starting to feel terrified.

"Ms. Sakurano," she called yet again, this time, her voice sounding strained_. _She grumbled under her breath before continuing whatever she had in mind, as she probably and _understandably _needed to appease herself with a few silent cusses. "See me later at the chairman's office." And that was it.

xxx

"Tazusa..." Mika groaned then sighed, "What the _hell _were you thinking?"

"It wasn't that bad." I avoided any eye contact with the girl through her glasses. Yet, I still felt her gaze sink under my skin; I walked beside her uncomfortably as she gave off an eerie air of silence. "Seriously!" I raised both my hands as if defending myself. This time, looking her in the eye to prove my sincerity. "And anyway, suspension isn't so bad… well, sort of."

She sighed then began to rub her temple. "A one-week suspension _is_ a bad thing."

"But there's a bright side to it."

"I suppose." She finally agreed. "It's a dull one though."

"Guess so."

_Standing by the door, I waited for the rampant nun to usher me into the office so that I could receive my punishment._

_It wasn't a very appealing thought but I just wanted to get it over with and go home._

_The door creaked open, revealing the somewhat brisk nun I thought about earlier on._

_"Get in, Sakurano," she ordered while I obeyed and followed her inside. The office was small but spacious and neat; the chairman's desk was just across the door with a small set of couches at the front for accommodation. Stepping further inside, I was told to take a seat that was closest to the desk and so I did. _

_Behind the desk was a somewhat old nun; her face was etched with wrinkles and had a small smile on her lips and her hands were clasped together on top of the desk._

_"Ms. Sakurano," her tone was gentle but was evident with authority, "we've contacted Mr. Takashima and he'll be joining us some time soon." _

_"I understand."_

_"So for the meantime, I hope you could do with waiting for just a while longer." _

_Later, there was a couple of knocks from the door. When the door opened I saw Coach come in. He looked so worried and agitated, as if something went so terribly wrong—which really did happen. Spotting me, he sighed._

_"Please take a seat, Mr. Takashima," the chairman gestured while Coach approached us then took the seat beside mine._

_"We called you in today because of a complaint I've received from one of the teachers. " The chairwoman then gestured to the nun who was behind us. Coach stood up then faced the woman and bowed an apology then seated himself again. _

_"What happened, exactly?" Coach asked._

_"She insulted me in front of the whole class," the nun interceded. The three of us stared at her; the chairman raised a brow while Coach simply sighed expectantly._

_"Ms. Sakurano, was what she said true?" The chairman asked. I turned to look at her calmly._

_"She's exaggerating." I blurted, earning a glare from the nun. "But technically, yeah… I guess." Coach heaved another sigh. _

_But this wasn't my first offense in school, not that I'm proud of it. I could still remember the time I called one of the nuns a fake, and then threw several insults with pure malice._

_That was when I had my first encounter with Pete. The class was singing a hymn while I simply lip-synced. Then suddenly, I heard a male's voice inside my head and immediately accused the nun of trying to brainwash us. _

_Those were the good times._

_"Care to add some more?" _

_"It was an accident. I admit that what I did today was understandably inexcusable, but like I said, it was an accident. It just came out on impulse." I answered truthfully and hoped to get applauded for my honesty._

"_I hear you're notorious for your violent outbursts with the press." I flinched at the sudden remark. "Well, thank you for your honesty, Ms. Sakurano, 'we' appreciate it," the chairman spared me another smile before taking out a thick rule book then expertly flipped through the leaves. "Alright... Let me see... Here it is. Given the offense you claim that you've committed, either intentionally or accidentally, the offense is punishable by a one week suspension."_

_My eyes widened at how unbelievable it sounded._

_"One week!" Coach suddenly shrieked from his seat. "That's absurd!" I furiously nodded my head at this._

_"Mind you, Mr. Takashima, it is what's written in this book. Take a look yourself." Coach was then handed the book then he skimmed the paragraph which the chairman pointed out for him. He kept reading the paragraph all over again, not believing a word he read. _

_"…I'll deal with it. I suppose a week is… fine?" _

_"Fine? Tazusa, you're already falling behind, at this rate, you might end up repeating a grade," he panicked, "Head chairman, please reconsider, with Tazusa's busy schedule with her career I don't think she'd be able to catch up on time."_

_"I'm terribly sorry Mr. Takashima, I have to follow whatever is written in this book. If we give an exception, even if it was her, then the point of implementing these rules in the first place would be in vain." The head explained sympathetically. _

_It was silent after that. I looked at Coach, feeling guilty. I had to face the consequences despite it being irrational._

_"It's fine, Coach, really." I whispered to him, so that he was the only one who could hear me. I looked at him in the eye, sure of my decision. _

_"If you say so." He was obviously reluctant to accept._

_"Anything else you'd like to say, Mr. Takashima?" I looked at the chairman, as so did Coach, conjuring up every bit of my pride to look her in the eye to accept the terms. The silence made her decision. "Alright, then as a decided, Ms. Sakurano, you will be suspended from this school for a week as consequence for your actions, starting tomorrow." I then stood from my chair while Coach followed. "I trust that we will see you again after your suspension is due. Thank you for your cooperation, Ms. Sakurano, Mr. Takashima?"_

_"Of course," Coach replied. And from that point on, I was officially kicked out of school for a week._

"Here we are." We stopped in front of a large black fancy gate that was entrance to Coach's residence. I walked towards the receiver then pressed the doorbell beside it, waiting as I stared at the security camera above me.

"This is the Takashima Residence, how may I—oh," I smirked at the camera, "Please hold on for a moment." Seconds later, the door gate unlocked and opened automatically. From there, we could see the large white fountain that was just a few meters away from the mansion. While on the far east side was an ice rink that Coach had built within his residential territory.

"Tazusa, I'll head over to the rink first." Mika told me as she headed for the rink.

"Yeah, sure, I'll catch up later." I replied while I walked towards the mansion.

Arriving to the door, I turned the knob as silently as possible then pushed the door gently and slowly. I took a peek to see if _she_ was there, not wanting to encounter the brat who delved into my faults then used it to annoy me to no ends.

"'Nee-san?" I froze at the sound of her voice. I whipped my head towards the direction of the sound then found her by the entrance to the kitchen.

"Ah, Youko, there you are." I looked at the short brown-haired girl who was my younger—cheeky—sister. My left eye twitched at the sight of her, I had a feeling that she knew_. _

"You're home early." She stated the obvious, but knowing her way of starting a conversation, there was simply more to that.

"And what of it?"

" I just wanted to ask about _something_," she smiled innocently. "So, how was school?"

"Straight to the point, Youko." She laughed at me while I crossed my arms and glared at her from afar.

"Aww, c'mon, 'Nee-san, don't be like that."

"Shut up, brat. If this is all you want to talk about, I'll have to decline your offer to chat as I have better things to do." I said as I turned to the staircase.

"You mean training?" I raised a brow at her, "'Nee-san, if I were you, I'd concentrate a bit more on my studies to make sure that I advance a grade next April." _Like I didn't know about that._ "So good luck with that! Anyway, where's Coach?"

"He went off to pick someone up at the airport."

"Oh, that's new." She paused. "Is Mika at the rink?"

"Yeah, you go on ahead with practice. I'll follow later." Ending our conversation, I ascended the stairs then into my room. I tossed my bag on the bed then proceeded with changing from my uniform to my sweats.

All the while, I remembered blindfolding myself.

Reminiscing about some things that would bring memories of the days I spent with Pete was something I encountered often. At the beginning, it was painful having to realize again and again that he was really gone and out of my life for good, and to think that it was all painfully _real_.

I sighed at the memory. He's gone now.

Bit by bit, I was moving on.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN**: I've mixed my references for this story with the manga, anime, light novel and, of course, my imagination. So, I understand if any of you end up confused but I will try my best to make it as comprehensible as possible. Hope you enjoy?

* * *

_Nature is not the number one mystery._

_It's the heart that takes top honors._

-Undercover, Beth Kephart

* * *

**Chapter II**

We both stay silent for a while, waiting anxiously for the end - _his end. _The only sounds I could hear were those of my skates as it shaves through the ice while I slowly head for the center. I look around the picturesque scenery of white snow covering the vast valleys of Canada, _beautiful. _I sigh, causing a breath of white air come out of my mouth.**  
**

"_Tazusa." _I hear his voice._  
_

But I don't answer._  
_

_"Tazusa."_

"Be quiet, Pete." I slightly scold. I enjoy a moment of tranquil peace then proceed with him. "What is it?"_  
_

_"It's nothing." _I sigh once more. I have no intention of continuing the conversation, so I stay silent and not ask about his uneasiness. I skate around the frozen pond with my head facing the sky, _so that's where he's headed. _The blue of it stirs within me a sadness so peaceful yet piercing._  
_

_How nice._

Later, I find myself humming while I sing inside my head, _Hosanna, Hosanna.  
_

_"I know that song." _He starts.

"So you remember?" I smile.

_"Of course, that was the song from a hundred days ago." _A memory flashes.

..

_"Hosanna, Hosanna." Those were the lines from then, while the choir sang to the melody of the organ, voices echoing in the solemn air of the chapel. "Hosanna, Hosanna."_

_..  
_

I remember it, too.

How I panicked when I first heard an unfamiliar voice of a man_. How I was the only person who could hear you. _

How the event ended with me kicked out of the chapel after brutally accusing the nun, that she was a fake and that she was trying to brainwash us. _Good times._

"Lovely." I muse with every bit of sarcasm._  
_

_"Now, here we are about to bid our goodbyes." _I feel a sudden pang. The cold air stings my eyes, _I can't._

Without warning, there is a surge of warmth in me. My eyes widen at the realization, my heart beating quickly. "You off already?" I try my best to sound happy but he probably knew better. He always did.

He stays quiet, _how unusual. _Unless, he already-_  
_

_"You take care of yourself." _I feel relieved. _Just a while longer._

"Is that all?" I sound playfully hurt. "And I thought you prepared a farewell speech for me."_  
_

We both laugh.

_..._

___"I never thought that the day would come."_

"Pete?" My voice cracks, _...no.  
_

"_Yeah?"  
_

_Be strong. _"I-" I am hurting, the pain... so real. "I'll miss you." I force myself not to cry. _  
_

_"I'll miss you, too." _I gasp suddenly. I feel as if something was lifted from me. _"Farewell, Tazusa."_

From then on, he was gone for good.

* * *

"Enough. That will do for warm-ups." I announce over the rink while Mika and Youko did as told, looking grateful as they skated laboriously towards the bench.

"Tazusa," Mika huffs, "thank God," then collapses on her knees when she was no longer on ice knowing full well how much it would hurt if ever she did. Youko, on the other hand, had been better off than Mika but heaved no less.

"'Nee-san... overboard much?"

"Nonsense."

They look at me with daggers.

"Kidding, but it's good for you." I smirk a bit as I see them slouch due to exhaustion. "Alright, time-up for..." I glance at my wristwatch then decide, "...ten minutes." Then stepped into the rink effortlessly, slowly arriving to its center.

"You can't be serious!" Mika almost wails.

"And why not?"

"I need to get dinner ready," the younger brunette quickly excuses, heading toward the exit.

"I'll help!" Mika takes off her skates then follows. I watch them disappear slowly.

"Hmph." Not bothering to call them back I start immediately with my own training. Taking out my IPod and putting up my earphones, I search through the directories, finally finding the 'Classics' I pick out a piece.

_Bach's Partita no. 2 allemande_

As the violin began to play, I smile as I start with a simple chasse.

* * *

"Bye Pete." Tears stroll down my cheeks, as I bid to no one, "I love you." I whisper to no one. Not even a ghost.

* * *

Short. Sorry about that. This is all I can do in between my studies.

I've used the present tense in this chap and I'm not very particular with it, so please point out the errors and I'll get to it ASAP.

-jeune rye


End file.
